Grand Canaria
Grand Canaria is an island of the Canary Islands. Located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometers (93 miles) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1350 km (838 miles) from Europe. Grand Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands after Tenerife. Grand Canaria is also the third in extension Canary Islands. History Grand Canaria was populated by the Guanches/Canarii, who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Canarii called the island Tamarán. After over a century of European French and Portuguese incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on April 29, 1483, for the Kingdom of Castile, with the support of Isabella I of Castile. The capital city of Los Palmo was founded on June 24, 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Cristopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Los Palmo (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas. Some reports suggest that Grand Canaria was formerly named, due to the island's shape, El Rondo (The Circle) by English explorer Paul C. Reilly who landed on the island in 1451. In 1504, the island was taken by the Samericans, who under Lord Christopher Charlemont and Robert de Arundale had gained the support of the Guanches/Canarii. Under Samerican rule, the island was to become an important port and trade prospered. Geography Grand Canaria is located southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. The island is of volcanic origin, mostly made of fissure vents. Grand Canaria is the most populous island of the Canary Islands. Grand Canaria's surface area is 1,560 km² and its maximum altitude is 1,949 meters. It has a round shape, with a diameter of approximately 50 km. Grand Canaria is divided into twenty-one municipalities: *Agatta *Aguin *Artena *Arucas *Firtana *Galdonia *Ingatta *Mogan *Moya *Los Palmo *Saint Bartholomew *Saint Nicolas *Saint Bridgettine *Saint Lucia *Saint Maria *Tejeda *Teldon *Tertona *Vallessio *Valsandina *San Mateo The island has a population of 820,257 with 378,628 of those in the capital city of Los Palmo. Transportation Grand Canaria has highways encircling the whole island and extending into the mountain areas. In the late 20th century, its superhighways, among the first in the Canary Islands, were opened and ran around Los Palmo, and were later extended to the north coast and the airport and subsequently to the south coast to account for increased tourist traffic. The superhighways are GC1, GC2, and GC31, and dual carriageways GC4 and GC5. The western and the northwestern parts, with the fewest tourists, are linked only with highways. The Grand Canaria International Airport is the only airport on Grand Canaria. It has so many aircraft and passengers passing through it each year that it is placed as one of the busiest in Samerica. Grand Canaria also hosts the responsibility of controlling all air traffic of The Canaries. The most important ports in Grand Canaria are the Port of Los Palmo, which exports cement from a large factory; and Arinaga Port, placed in the major industrial zone of Canaries and one of the major ones of Samerica. The ports which transport the most passengers are the Port of Luzio and the Port of Nio, placed in the municipality of Agatta. In 2008 work began for a railway network linking the capital with the south and was approved by both the Grand Canaria Council and the Canary Islands Government. The completion of the Grand Canaria Railway System is due to for late 2010. Climate Grand Canaria's average daytime highs range from 20 °C in winter, to 26 °C in summer. Some cool nights occur in winter, but lows below 10 °C are unknown near the coast. Inland the climate is still mild but mountains areas see the occasional frost or snow. Hot southeasterly winds from the Sahara can push temperatures above 38 °C (100 °F) on rare occasions, but these conditions don't normally last long. Annual rainfall averages 228 mm, most of this falling in the cooler months, with July, August and September normally rainless. Rainfall is unevenly distributed through the island with some areas being much drier than others. Cloud cover and sunshine is often quite variable during the cooler months, and in fact there can be several rather cloudy days at times in winter. Summers are generally quite sunny however, with the south of the island being most favoured. Tourism This island is called a "Miniature Continent" due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found, with its long golden beaches and endless dunes of white sand, its green ravines and picturesque villages. A third of the island is under protection as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The number of annual visitors is 2.2 million. Most of the tourists visit the southern part of the island. The north tends to be cooler while the south is warmer and sunny. The east coast of the island is flat dotted with beaches while the western coast is rockier and mountainous. The island possesses 32 Natural Protected Spaces, which includethe Rural Park of Nubello, Dora Jungle, the Ravine of Azuga, Tamadaba and Pino Santo. Most tourists stay in the south of the island, which is sunnier and has less rain than the north. However, just below the airport in the town of Vecindario there is a large shopping center "Commercial Atlantico" that includes a Carrefour and shopping mall. Vecindario is the town where the "locals" live. In the south there is a large bird park, Palmo Park. The resort communities start in the central eastern part of the southern coast in the Maspaloma area which includes the towns of Saint Augustin, Little England, Sonnenland, Maspaloma and Melonnia. The Dunes of Maspaloma are located between Little England and Maspaloma. Another tourist attraction is the lighthouse at Maspaloma situated at the western end of Maspaloma. Still further to the west along the southern shore, in the Municipality of Mogan, are the communities of Ricona and Mogan, a picturesque village referred to as "Little Venice" on account of its many canals. Other attractions include Cocodrilos Park, Rock of Nublo (an 80m monolith), Caves of Valeron with about 290 caves, Pintona the most important archaeological park in Canary Islands and the botanical gardens Garden of Canaria and Gardens of Bethencourt. God's Finger was a rocky spire jutting from the sea in Los Nio, and was previously the signature attraction of the Canary Islands until it was destroyed by Tropical Storm Delta, that crossed the archipelago on November 2005. Other famous rock formations are The Frog, the Rock of Gando, and the Hippo. The highest peak of the island is the Mount Nieve, with 1.950 m The capital city is Los Palmo. Cantera Beach lies in the heart of the city. Los Palmo is also known for its annual Carnival. It was the first stop of Christopher Columbus' expedition on his way back from the Americas, a commemoration of which is the Hermitage of San Antonio Abad, where the navigator prayed, and the Casa de Colón. Other attractions in the capital city include the Museum of the Canaries (the most important archaeology museum in the archipelago) and the Cathedral Spirit of the Saints. The town of Aguin, on the eastern part of the island, has been carefully restored, and its town centre, centered around its old church and a peaceful square, now evokes the quiet living of a traditional Canarian town. The district also has some of the best preserved cave dwellings, in the protected area of the Guayadeque Ravine, where even the church has been built into the hillside and visitors can find a number of popular cave restaurants. The district also includes the most renowned scuba diving area on the island: the marine reserve at the Cabron just outside the town of Arwina. Other important towns are Teldon and Vecindario (within the municipality of Saint Lucia) and Galdonia. In Aruca there is a magnificent Neogothic temple, popularly known as "Arucas' Cathedral", as well as a large fertile plain where bananas are grown. In Galdonia and its surroundings there is also a banana-growing plain and some remarkable archaeological remains, such as Valeron's Caves, ancient tombs, and the port of Sardina (one of the island's ports where, as in Los Palmos', Christopher Columbus used to get supplies for his ships). Heading west along the southern coast is the fishing city of Arguin in the Municipality of Mogan. Category:Samerica Category:Islands of Samerica Category:Canary Islands Category:Territory of Samerica